Seafome or sta-bil

[Whitespider]

I stated in the last post that it was a TEST.
...I prefer to test and verify.

Well... unless you took half of that exact same batch of gas and mixed/treated/stored/quantity/container/season/time frame/etc./etc./etc. it exactly the same (except for the Startron), and then it in fact did go bad... i.e., your "Dolmar saws" do not "run fine with it" (your benchmark, not mine)... you really didn't verify squat, did you??

I never said gas can't be stored for 15 months... I said I wouldn't use it on a bet.
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[deutzman]

Well... unless you took half of that exact same batch of gas and mixed/treated/stored/quantity/container/season/time frame/etc./etc./etc. it exactly the same (except for the Startron), and then it in fact did go bad... i.e., your "Dolmar saws" do not "run fine with it" (your benchmark, not mine)... you really didn't verify squat, did you??

I never said gas can't be stored for 15 months... I said I wouldn't use it on a bet.
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OK.

 

[zogger]

http://www.priproducts.com/research_technology_consumer.cfm

I have NOT read all these references, but I will say, using their gas treatment, in a farm bulk tank, right at four year old fuel was still quite usable. Ran it in vehicles, my wheelhorse, another rider mower, push mower, small home owner sized chipper, etc. This was , IIRC, 87 octane, non ethanol.

The owner got it for me to use with my duties, plus handed me the Pri-G. This was for work where we were caretakers to get to park my RV and have some place to live. The owner owned numerous very large truck stops, was in the fuel business as a retailer, this was their country retreat estate. He said, his research, this was the best you could get at the time. His nickle, I used the fuel, it stayed good for that length of time as I gradually burned it down and used it up. Steel bulk tank, set back in the trees a little in full shade, fuel delivered by the tanker truck. FWIW, YMMV.

Also had a large diesel bulk tank for the emergency back up generator, same deal, it was filled once, treated with Pri-D, I regularly once a month over that same time frame "exercised" the four cylinder diesel generator with that fuel, was still starting and running fine.

 

[homemade]

Is there a difference between the storage and the protection stabil? And why does stabil have an expiration date ?

 

[griffonks]

I use stabil in everything including 91 octane non-alcohol mix. I buy it three gallons at a time and mix in 12oz of quality mix= 32/1. If an engine is going to set for a long time, I drain it and fog the engine with aerosol fogger.

 

[Dirtboy]

Is there a difference between the storage and the protection stabil? And why does stabil have an expiration date ?

Stabil doesn't have an expiration date when sealed off the shelf. The 2 year expiration starts when you open it.

I couldn't answer this poll with one check mark. I keep a couple of 5 gallon cans treated with Marine Stabil for emergency use. After three months they get dumped in the truck, refilled with fresh and treated.
I have found Seafoam to be a good treatment for a couple of old garden machines. A little added to the tank at the beginning of mowing season seems to straighten them out after winter hibernation. Wouldn't use it for stabilizing only.
I drain or run dry any small engine that will be stored for more than a week or 2.

 

[homemade]

Stabil doesn't have an expiration date when sealed off the shelf. The 2 year expiration starts when you open it.

I drain or run dry any small engine that will be stored for more than a week or 2.

I know it says that you need to write down the open date to keep it from expiring... But what part of it expires? Is it just a sales gimmic to keep you buying more?

It could be three or four weeks inbetween useing the ice drill or snowblower and it wood seem kinda pointless to drain it mid season. Especially knowing I doubt I'll go threw a full tank in the ice drill in one season.

Have you guys had any problems dumping mixed gas in your cars/trucks.

 

[deerlakejens]

I just resurrected a van that had been sitting for three years with ethanol gas in the tank. Electrical problem solved and it idled and ran smoothly on that old gas with no starting problem what so ever. I think the "blame ethanol" alibi gets over used.

 

[brenndatomu]

Have you guys had any problems dumping mixed gas in your cars/trucks.

Nope, works good, you'll never notice the difference. No different than if your engine burns a lil oil, probably better since 2 stroke oil is designed to be burnt.
Ice drill, you know you live way up north when you have a 2 stroke powered ice drill! Love it

 

[brenndatomu]

I just resurrected a van that had been sitting for three years with ethanol gas in the tank. Electrical problem solved and it idled and ran smoothly on that old gas with no starting problem what so ever. I think the "blame ethanol" alibi gets over used.

Nah, ethanol is a real problem! Read up on it. I worked in a bike shop over the time period when ethanol was phased in locally, problems started immediately, escalated ever since! It's not as much of problem because of the volume of fuel in cars/trucks, and most are EFI, that seems to be less troublesome when dealing with older fuel. Even if carburated, the jets are much bigger, so they will pass more crud without plugging, and, it takes alot more to kill a multicylinder engine than a single, as far as running problems that is. Ethanol is devil juice in small engine fuel!

 

[deerlakejens]

I run a landscaping business with a numerous mowers, blowers, trimmers, edgers, saws and a chipper. In my 9+ years using regular gas with ethanol, I have never used an additive. Just like I did with non-ethanol, I run the fuel out of anything that is going to sit for a few months. I never experience fuel related problems. Lots of metal fatigue but not fuel!

 

[brenndatomu]

I hear ya, I don't personally have the issues that others seems to but, I do treat my fuel if I know something is gonna set. You likely are keeping things moving enough to keep from having fuel problems, maybe just a lil luck too? Or maybe your fuel source is a good one. Believe me, the general population has some REAL problems from this stuff. In the old days, when I pulled a carb apart that had sat too long, and was having issues, it just had a "varnish" looking goo in it. Now, it is any number of interesting substances that can be gumming up the works! I have a friend who works for a large fuel distributor locally, he told me recently that they are having big problems with algae growing in untreated low sulpher diesel now. I think he said 30 some different types of crap have been identified growing in highway diesel now, wasn't an issue before. It just keeps gettin betterer and betterer!

 

[Woody912]

I've gone around with several people that sta-bil is the only way to keep gas fresh in seasonal equipment. I used to treat the snowblower and lawn mower with sta-bil but this year the snowblower was running only on choke hinting it was gummed up. What do u guys do?

 

[Woody912]

Have a 225 Evinrude on the boat, I use the Starbrite enzyme stuff and boat always starts first crank in the spring after I winter a 1/4 tank of gas. Evinrude svc manager told me via the internet that Sta-bil brought him a lot of biz. Maybe apples and oranges but it would cost me $20k to replace that motor so no Stabil

 

[Whitespider]

...what part of it expires? Is it just a sales gimmic to keep you buying more?

Ummmm... no.
Any stabilizer will oxidize over time once the air (oxygen) gets to it... it just does so at a slower rate then the fuel it treats.
Any stabilizer that claims it doesn't is a stabilizer I won't use... snake oil.
Actually that's why I've stuck with Sta-bil, they don't make unrealistic claims... read any bottle, it says up to 12 months.
Considering the different sizes of Sta-bil containers you can buy... from a couple ounces, to the quart... it ain't a gimmick "to keep you buying more".
Does it actually help?? Heck I don't know... but you can buy it in any quantity you require, need, want, or can use today..
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[Hinerman]

I put Seafoam and Stabil in my straight gas; and Seafoam only in my 2-stroke mix since the oil already has stabilizer in it.

 

[homemade]

Ok thanks for the 411 everyone. I'm gonna stay with the using stabil and rotating my lil amount of gas I do use to every 3 months or so. Always the 93 or 91 octane non ethonol.

 

[shovelheas]

I use real gas, 100LL aviation, or pails of race fuel 93.

+1
Same here.

 

[cheeves]

Startron is the best gas treatment for ethanol out there!!

 

[LarryRFL]

One note on Stabil. Regulare Stabil is not for use with 10% or better ethanol fuels. They do have an ethanol formula, however. Stabil works to keep the ethanol (and water) in suspension.